Go-ahead for Shrewsbury's Copthorne Barracks site to be turned into homes

The transformation of Shrewsbury's former Copthorne Army Barracks into a housing development has been given the green light.

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Copthorne Barracks

A number of reserved matters on the planning permission for 216 homes on the site on Copthorne Road was granted by Shropshire Council’s central planning committee on Thursday.

However developers will have to include traffic calming on the roads within the estate for the scheme to go ahead.

The council met to deal with reserved matters on the planning application by developer Bellway Homes.

Planning officer Jane Reynolds said that 43 of the homes would be affordable dwellings, two thirds rented and one third shared ownership.

This was something welcomed by Councillor Tony Parsons. However, he said the design of the homes appeared to be national designs and didn’t take into account the history of the site, a concern also raised by Shrewsbury Civic Society.

The original “Keep” to the barracks will be retained and turned into two-bedroom flats.

The former home of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, Copthorne Barracks was built between 1877 and 1881 for the War Office – subsequently the Ministry of Defence.

Imposed

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As well as a range of military buildings, single living accommodation, sports and welfare buildings, it had a parade ground, and playing field. Shrewsbury Town Council had called for a 20 mile an hour speed limit to be imposed within the development and some councillors called for the matter to be deferred for a Highways report into speed limits.

The planning officer said Highways had made its position clear in that there was not a need for a lower speed limit and that speeds could be kept below 20mph through road design.

Councillors agreed that the reserved matters could be approved and a condition be placed on the planning application that traffic calming be put in.

A planning report to the committee said that officers were satisfied there was enough public open space on the site and that trees were being retained.

Access to the development will be via Copthorne Road with an access for cyclists and pedestrians only onto Barracks Lane.

Residents have raised concerns about school places something dealt with at the outline planning stage when the developers agreed to made two contributions of £500,000 one for primary school provision the other towards secondary school places.